Taeyeon doesn’t understand why Tiffany is so open to sharing all of this with someone she had just met. She’s not sure why she has been so intent on wanting to know more either. She holds herself back from asking more probing questions even though she wants to.

“I’m talking too much.” Tiffany doesn’t seem comfortable with silence at all.

“I appreciate it.” She means it. 

“Really?”

“Feels like the first real conversation I’ve had in years.”

Tiffany looks at her with warmth.

“Me too.”

Taeyeon glances at the clock, not wanting to leave despite it being late. She had earned her independence by being responsible, by being at places she said she’d be at the time agreed, even when no one is checking up on her. The cages were unlocked but she still lived in them.

“I kind of regret not joining SM now.” Tiffany breaks the silence once again. “I threw away their card because it was the ugliest red I had ever seen.”

“Trust me, you don’t,” Taeyeon says, more bitterly than she intended. “Their card is pink now though.” Tiffany’s eyes light up at that trivial fact. She must like pink. 

“Maybe we would have been in the same group, with you as the leader since you’re older. Maybe we would have been roommates and you’d teach me Korean. Maybe I’d be happier.”